


The Smell Of Old Books

by jasbaejordan



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, jonty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4450190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasbaejordan/pseuds/jasbaejordan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Monty’s family owns a series of books that are over a hundred years old and Jasper is fascinated by the tales of witchcraft and wizardy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Smell Of Old Books

**Author's Note:**

> Massive thanks to my beta-reader jaspxrjordans aka Dane who really helped me a lot with this, seeing as English isn't my native language.

 

Since the last vestiges of humanity had been clinging to life aboard the Ark there was something about old books that fascinated every person that ever came into contact with one. Whether it was the scent of paper that had been touched by hundreds and hundreds of different people over the course of time or the tales of the past they were telling, it didn't matter. Old books carried wisdom of a different time and ideas that were once accepted knowledge but had long since faded into something strange and unfamiliar that now held an air of mystery ever since the first generation of humans had been born and raised in space. For these 'space-born', these books were even more appealing.

Jasper was a curious, wild-haired boy who'd spent the past fourteen years of his life on the Ark. He was lying on his stomach with his lower legs crossed in the air, head resting on his arms with one of those old books sitting open in front of him. Though he was feeling kind of sleepy, he couldn't stop reading. From time-to-time Jasper uncrossed his legs and stretched them, rolling over to lie on his side, but it was uncomfortable either way.

When he heard a quiet sound next to him he turned around and saw his best friend waking up from his nap, looking confused as he came around.

"Fuck." Monty blinked a few times before he felt his life slowly flowing back into his veins. "How long have I been out...?"

Jasper glanced over to the clock on the wall. He'd lost all sense of time and space while he'd been reading. "Two hours. It's all good. You needed some sleep."

"And I _need_ to get this chemistry homework done, so--"

Before Monty could finish his sentence and scramble out of bed in a rush, Jasper grabbed the hood of his jumper and pulled him back. With his other hand he pointed at the desk.

"All done. Relax."

"Oh. God..." Monty let himself drop onto his back in relief. "You're awesome."

"I know."

A proud grin spread on Jasper's face and Monty smirked back up at him. After a few moments, his eyes wandered from his friend's face down to the book.

"Ohh, looks like someone got addicted to 'Harry Potter' pretty quickly. So who's your favourite?"

"I don't know yet, they're all pretty cool," Jasper muttered as he closed the book, remembering exactly what page he was on for future reference. "I guess I like Ron a lot."

"Because he's as dumb and clumsy as you are?"

"Shut up."

The boys laughed quietly and it was an indicator of how tired they both really were. The life of the hardworking student and self-proclaimed full-time nerd had taken its toll on them.

"You can have the book until you've finished reading it. And then I can give you the second one. My parents won't mind. Just take care of them."

"Really?" Jasper's dark eyes lit up. "Of course, man. I'm gonna take care of them like they were my goggles."

"Just _do not_ bring the books to the lab with you." Monty had to yawn mid-sentence, so he pointed his index finger at Jasper's face as some kind of warning that he was being serious.

"Never. After what happened last time I don't even wanna bring _myself_ to the lab anymore."

A lopsided grin spread on Monty's face once again as he remembered the event with closed eyes. There'd been some flames, a lot of scared teenagers raising a fuss, and a smell that Monty had described at the time most eloquently as 'Satan's most violent fart'. Luckily, the clouds of smoke filling the entire room had covered the fact it'd been Jasper who nearly set the entire laboratory on fire.

He spread out his arms in the general direction of where Jasper was sitting on the bed. "Time for sleepsies, Mr. Jordan. We deserve it."

Monty made grabby hands and while it might have been perfectly adorable on its own it was even more so in his current sleepy state. Something about the way his normally neat hair was just a bit disheveled too made Jasper’s heart swell in his chest.

He put the book gently on the table beside the bed before he crawled over to Monty and lowered himself down beside him, reaching over to hug him. The younger teen wrapped his own arms around Jasper's waist and let out a content sigh at the warmth and softness surrounding him now.

Jasper's nose was pressed against Monty's neck and black strands of hair tickled his face.

"So..." He started, his voice low and calming. "What house would you be in?"

"Ravenclaw. Obviously." It didn't take Monty long to answer since he'd sorted himself into a Hogwarts house years ago when he'd first read the books. "What about you?"

"Uh, I'm thinking Gryffindor. You know, because I'm courageous and a real adventurer."

"Says the boy trapped on a space station who'd play video games all day if he'd have the time.."

"That's not my fault though!" Jasper raised his head and sucked air into his cheeks, looking like a really offended blowfish. "If we live long enough to witness our 'final journey to the ground'--" He said it with all the dramatic emphasis _everyone_ seemed to say it with, particularly in speeches, and Monty bit his lip to avoid laughing as Jasper continued. "--I am going to go on all the adventures I've read about. I'm going to do crazy shit and learn how to swim and how to climb trees. I might even learn how to dive! Maybe I'll even fight Megalodon one day."

Monty finally let out a laugh and tightened his grip around Jasper's waist. "Megalodon is extinct, you walnut."

"Well, in any case I'm going to be really brave and protect you from any danger the ground might have to offer.." Jasper grinned smugly and wiggled his eyebrows like he'd seen the Disney princes do it in various old animated movies. It made Monty laugh even more and that's what Jasper was going for.

Seeing his boy happy was Jasper's greatest joy in life. He'd do everything for Monty, _anything_. That was why he was so sure he'd find courage inside of himself if it was ever needed.

Monty let his right hand travel from Jasper's waist up to the back of his head, fingers gently grabbing the brown curls. The unfolding silence was comforting. The teenagers just looked at each other for a moment, focusing on every beautiful detail they could catch on the other's face.

They'd done this a million times before but it never got any less exciting. It was just like rereading an old book and discovering new things that enriched it even more every time, falling in love with what was familiar all over again.

Monty pulled his best friend closer until their foreheads and noses touched ever so slightly. After only a moment, Jasper bridged the small distance that was left between them and let their lips meet as well.

The pure bliss grew in Monty's stomach, spreading throughout his whole body. He smiled into the kiss, their lips moved slowly, carefully. Perfectly in sync.

It was a soft and sleepy kiss. One that makes your heart feel at ease and lays your soul to rest.

All those poems about love, the tales written down on brittle, yellowed paper so long ago -- they were true. They were things some long dead wordsmith once felt but could still be felt a hundred, a thousand years later.

As Monty pressed their chests together and deepened the kiss, he hoped that if their end was to come _this_ would be what mankind would be remembered for in the vast beauty of the universe: love.

With some reluctance they broke the gentle kiss so Jasper could lie down next to Monty, breathing out a long sigh. He was happy. He was even more tired than his friend, seeing as he hadn't napped before.

Monty pressed his lips to Jasper's forehead, then to the bump of his nose that he loved so much.

"Sleep well."

"Mmh..." Jasper's hand found Monty's somewhere between them and he let his fingers trail over his palm, the sound a bit of a whine. "But I wanna kiss you some more."

Monty gave Jasper another amused look, no protest coming from him as the sleepy boy brought their lips together once more. He was clearly already more asleep than awake but his kiss was deep and loving all the same. Unexpectedly, his warm tongue glided over Monty's lower lip and the younger teen shuddered slightly. He opened his mouth just a bit and felt like he was melting in the heat they shared.

Their tongues met with soft force and Monty grabbed Jasper's hand as he let out a quiet sound, squeezing it as he felt the warmth of their mouths travelling elsewhere.

"Jasper." Monty said breathlessly, opening his eyes again. "Can we... uh--..."

Jasper could see the bright flush of red in Monty's cheeks, familiar with the way he was always just a bit nervous. He smiled and laced their fingers together, giving Monty a last loving peck on the lips. "Of course. No problem, Mont’. We wanted to sleep anyway, right?" His words were sincere and he felt the younger teen's uncertainty melt away at once, Monty giving Jasper's hand a gentle squeeze.

Jasper knew that Monty didn't feel ready to do anything that went beyond kissing for now and whenever it got a bit too heated they would stop and just cuddle for a while. It'd been like that for half a year now and though Jasper was curious and really wanted to share this intimate bond with Monty, he didn't mind waiting at all. He wanted the timing to be _perfect_. He wanted Monty to be the first one. The only one.

Monty gave him a cute little smile and snuggled closer, brown and black strands of their messy hair mixing on the pillow. Jasper's chin rested on top of Monty's head and he put his right arm around his friend's small frame, keeping him safe and secure as Monty curled up against his chest.

It was everything Monty could've wished for, enveloped in Jasper's warmth and his scent, feeling the gentle rhythm of his pulse as he settled in.

"G'night," Monty whispered against Jasper's neck.

"Goodnight."

They didn't need to say 'I love you', like it was written down a million times in a million old books. Every look they shared, every gentle touch, every smile and laugh and just the simplest thoughts of each other screamed just that.

**_Love._ **


End file.
